Good Girl Gone Bad
by darkstar2789
Summary: Title speaks for itself. Chloe Sullivan decides that Clark Kent wasn't worth the wait and Jimmy wasn't even worthy of her time. Angry, she decided to have a change of heart. Being good doesn't bring her any good anyway.
1. One

Stupid, stupid, stupid

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Smallville. Sad, I know.

**Author's Note:** This is my first attempt at writing a Smallville fanfiction even though I've been reading quite a lot Smallville fanfic. I love Smallville and I am fascinated with Chloe's character.

I was a Chlark shipper once before I decided Clark Kent wasn't _worth the wait._ Then, I turned to Chlollie before I finally converted into a Chlex shipper. So, here I am. Instead of studying for my exam tomorrow, I am writing this. _Here goes nothing…_

**One: When It All Falls Apart**

_To my best friend, Cora…_

_For converting me into a Chlex shipper…_

_Stupid, stupid, stupid…._

Chloe Sullivan muttered to herself as she wiped the tears falling down her flushed red cheeks.

She heard footsteps following her from behind and she quickened her pace.

"Chloe!" She heard him called out her name.

She ignored him, much to his annoyance. He jogged after her and grabbed her by her arm before he pulled her into his embrace.

She struggled to release herself. "Let go of me!" She shrieked and caught the attention of a few passerbies.

He placed a hand on her head while his other hand ran up and down her back to soothe her.

_That's it._

She stepped on his foot as hard as she could and found herself free of his hold.

"Stay away from me." She said in a firm tone before she left him.

He knows best and stayed behind. Another blonde came out running of the building behind him and looked at him.

"Jimmy…" She murmured as she wrapped her hands around his arm.

He pulled her into a hug and kissed her forehead. "Let's go back in, Kara." He said, casting a last look at the retreating figure of the other blonde.

And the couple walked back in.

--

Chloe Sullivan is not having a good day. _Not_ a good day at all.

That morning, when she bursted into her boyfriend's apartment room with breakfast in hand, she caught him in bed with Clark's extra-terrestrial cousin.

When she finally got to the Daily Planet, her editor had forced her; he actually dragged her out of the building, to attend a press conference at LexCorp.

_Bullshit!_

She cursed under her breath as she took a flute of champagne from a waiter who passed her. She finished it in a gulp and bared her teeth as the hot liquid traveled down her throat.

She glanced at her watch. She really wished she was somewhere else. She needed to talk with someone. Lois, Lana, Clark perhaps… _Whoever._

"Sullivan." A familiar voice greeted her from behind and her grip on her glass tightened.

_Gee, thank you Lord. When she said 'whoever', she wasn't talking about 'him'._

Chloe turned around to find herself facing a very serious and tense looking Lex Luthor.

"Luthor." It was more like a whisper, a whisper filled with hatred.

"It worries me when you are all by yourself, at a secluded corner, especially in my building. It's as if you were up to something." He remarked with a raised eyebrow.

Chloe let out a fake laugh. "Paranoid much, Mr. Luthor?"

"Well, with you around, I can't be too careful, can't I?" He replied, enjoying this verbal judo.

Chloe let out a sigh. "Look, Luthor. I'm not in the mood to snoop around or to play words with you. So, get going with your speech already and I'll be out of here in no time."

She was retreating. Lex frowned. Since when does Chloe Sullivan give up a vocal smackdown with him? He decided to ignore her and agreed with her to get going with his speech. The sooner she's out of the building, the faster he'll gain his security.

--

That was the third push of the day.

She drove all the way back to Smallville just in time to see Lana Lang _getting back _with Clark Kent.

She closed her eyes, shook her head, and continued to concentrate with her driving. Her two hours drive to Smallville was tiring. But when she saw them all over each other, she decided that she should return to Metropolis that same day.

She should have known. When Lana Lang decided to leave Lex Luthor, she knew that Clark would definitely try to find a way to get back with her.

She was still hoping that the farm boy was going to wake up and realize that it was Chloe Sullivan that was always there for him all these years. A girl can dream, can't she?

_Pathetic, Sullivan. You're truly pathetic._

She was so angry that she nearly missed the silver sport car parked in front of the Luthor's mansion. Thankfully, her leg was quick enough to push the brake pedal. Her car came into a halt in front of the magnificent Scottish castle.

She looked around and saw the lights were on in a particular room; the study room.

She paused to think of her actions.

_This is it._

After this everything will change. Clark will hate her and everything she fights for all this time will be for nothing. She smirked. She couldn't care less. Not anymore.

With a determined face, Chloe Sullivan drove into the compound of the Luthor's mansion.

--

He heard the door slammed to a close.

"Hugh, I thought I said I don't want to be disturbed." He said angrily as he turned around and looked down.

_Oh, right. No wonder._

He mused when he realized it wasn't his butler.

"Sullivan. To what do I owe this pleasure?" Lex asked as he closed the book he was reading and placed it on the shelf.

He really needs to talk to his butler about letting in his enemies into the house.

"Does your offer still stand?"

Her question caused a curve to the end of his lips, and also a raised eyebrow.

--

**Author's Note:** So? How was it? Reviews are much appreciated.


	2. Two

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Smallville. Sad, I know.

**Author's Note:** Thanks for all the reviews, guys. Here's the second chapter. Hope you enjoy it. Keep those reviews coming. _On with the story…_

**Two: Three Months Ago I**

_To my Biology teacher…_

_Sorry cos I'm writing this when I'm supposed to do my Biology paper…_

_Darn!_

She cursed under her breath when she saw the two pairs of eyes looking directly at her hiding spot behind the boxes. Chloe glared at her heels for causing too much noise.

She immediately calculated all the consequences. She has two thugs coming directly at her, another four thugs outside the warehouse, two thugs at the entrance, and another six upstairs accompanying the two businessmen that she was spying on.

_Oh, right, Sullivan! Don't forget the guns._

Chloe winced at the sigh of the black gun they each carried behind them, all of it equipped with silencer.

_Pfft! Typical thugs._

She could hear Lex's familiar laugh from upstairs, as if mocking her. He was so faking it. Knowing the Luthor he is, he was not likely to laugh unless it benefits him.

_Stupid, evil maniac obsessed with psychologically-challenged meteor-freaks!_

She cursed him none less. She bit her lips as she weighed her options.

_What to do? What to do? Ah! To hell with it._

Lex's two well-built security guard were about to reach for the boxes when Chloe pushed it at them. The boxes crashed on top of them, gaining cries of pain from the two hooligans, now lying flat on the ground, and also gaining the attention of the rest of 'The Luthor Bunch'.

She heard footsteps coming after her as she headed outside as fast as she could. Then, there it was.

BANG!

_About time, boys._

Chloe attempted to calm herself. It was their first attempt to shoot her down. And, it was followed by several others, all which she had clumsily evaded.

"Don't shoot her, damnit!" Lex's angry voice was heard among the shots and silence enveloped the night again.

All she could hear now was her footsteps and her annoyingly loud heartbeat. Then, it hit her. It was her footsteps _only_. She threw a look over her shoulder and saw no one. She froze in her tracks and panted.

"Thank you God." Chloe muttered as she gasped for air.

She turned around and started to jog again, heading for her car, before a pair of very strong hands grabbed her waist and her body crashed into another body; solid, rigid, and familiarly tense.

"Hello, Sullivan."

Chloe choked as her eyes went wide.

"ARKH!! Lemme go, lemme go!" She screamed and kicked as Lex pushed her back towards the warehouse.

She continued to kick and scream, as usual, as Lex's boys tied her up against a pole. Just to show their stupidity, the last thing they did was duct-taped her mouth. They should have done that earlier, considering the 'noise pollution' she was producing.

"Ah… That's better." Lex muttered as he massaged his temple lightly.

Chloe said something under the triple-layered duct tape.

"Sorry, what was that again?" Lex teased and his men broke into a laugh.

Lex shot them the typical Luthor death glare and their laughter came to a sudden halt.

Two well-built men appeared out of nowhere carrying a bag and a stack of papers.

_Isn't that my…_

Chloe's mind raced with worried thoughts when she recognized her laptop bag and her research papers on this case.

"We found her car at the junction, sir. I've asked some of the men to take care of the car. And these are some things that I thought you might be interested in." The taller of the two men handed over the papers to him.

Now, how was she going to explain to Perry that she lost another company car?

Chloe continued to scream and curse audibly under the duct-tape.

"Looks like Miss Sullivan here did her homework, A+. Destroy the papers," Lex glanced at her mischievously, "And the laptop." And he earned more cursing from her.

"Make sure you clean up after that." Lex ordered and the two men walked away.

Lex turned to her and placed his hands in his pockets. There was a smirk and a sign of amusement in his eyes.

_Bastard._

"You know Chloe. I've always admired your ability to snoop around and discover things you're not supposed to discover. Those kinds of traits are highly desired in my business." Lex began.

Chloe continued to glare.

"Look, Sullivan. I'm doing what I should have done years ago."

And with that, he took off, wait, scratch that, he _tore off_ the duct tape from her mouth.

"ARKH!" Her scream broke the silence of the night.

"We made a great team, Sullivan. You and I."

She knew what he was referring to.

"Bite my ass, Luthor." She said in mock amusement.

"Now, now. Don't be rude. Look, Chloe. We both knew you never got what you deserved. Lois got that spot at work that you thought you'd get,"

He paused before he continued in disgust, "Lana got Clark, the boy of your fantasies for over a decade."

"Jimmy is cheating on you..." He was cut off by a glare from her.

"Oh, yes I knew. Wasn't hard to find out when there was a blonde going in and out of his building, and it's not you." Lex continued in a teasing tone.

"Come work with me, Chloe. And you will get everything you deserve. You want the Daily Planet, you'll get it. You want Jimmy, you'll get it. You want Clark… Now that one is excluded." Lex made his offer.

Lex closed the distance between her and leaned forward until their faces were inches apart. He looked into her eyes, daring her. Chloe closed and turned her head sideway.

"Everything, Sullivan. Everything you want in life." He whispered into her ears.

When he straightened himself, Chloe opened her eyes and looked at him again.

"And all you need to do is to be by my side." Lex finished his offer and waited for a response.

He waited, and waited. She was weighing his offer, he knew it. He knew it the moment she broke eye contact with him. She was torn. And she knew he was right.

"As tempting as that sounds, Luthor,"

_Ah, here comes the snarky reporter._ Lex mentally remarked.

"I will never betray Clark, Lana, Lois, Jimmy, and even Kara. They've been with me longer than you did, Lex. And they treat me way better than you do. Take now for example." She started.

"You, and your egocentric psycho-ass, can rot in Hell, as far as I'm concerned." She finished with the usual mockery.

_Good going, Sullivan. Verbally smackdown the man that will decide whether you live or die. _

Lex frowned at her remarks. The girl has absolutely no respect for him and completely disregards his authority over her life at that particular period.

And she shall pay for that.

Lex turned around and walked a few steps before he froze in his track.

"Dump her into the river. Destroy all evidence." He gave the final ultimatum and Chloe bit her lips.

_Dead, she is so dead._


	3. Three

**Disclaimer: **No, I do not own Smallville. Are you happy now?

**Explanation:** Here are some things I'd like to clear up with you guys. Here in Malaysia, we only got to as far as season 5 (pathetic). Then, I went online and watch fanvids/read fanfics causing me to mix up the timeline. So, here's what happening in my timeline:

1. Lana just left Lex after their unsuccessful marriage and decided to have another shot with Clark. _To Lana's fans, be aware! I loathe her and will, I repeat, I will bash her._

2. Lois is working at the Daily Planet and is hitting it off with Grant, the editor. _Her talent as a real reporter is undecided. I personally don't care about Lois Lane. Sorry._

3. Chloe is working with the Justice League part time as Watchtower. _As the plot continues, there will be hints of Chlollie._

4. Lex doesn't know that Chloe knows any of the Justice League members.

5. Jimmy and Kara are together. _I like them together; Beauty and the Geek._

**Author's note: **Thanks for all the kind reviews, people. I'm sorry it took me a while to update but it was exam week. _Was_. Today was my last paper and I've decided to celebrate by putting this up. I've been working with it for a week and I hope you guys will enjoy this one too. Don't forget to keep those reviews coming.

**Three: Three Months Ago II**

_To my freedom (from exam)…_

_May it brings everlasting peace to my soul (sure it will)…_

Chloe closed her eyes as tiredness took over her body. She gave up and her body sank deeper into the clear blue river.

People say that when you are dying, your most precious memories would flash into your mind. Chloe agrees.

She remembered her father, her mother, Lois, Clark (of course), Jonathan and Martha Kent, Pete, Jimmy, Kara (she winced), Oliver and his league of boys, Lionel, and oddly, Lex.

There were only two things that she regretted in life. One; She never got Clark, not even when she was going to die. Two; She died in the hands of Lex _'Bastard'_ Luthor.

And there it was. She saw _It,_ the Light, the Pathway to Heaven. And why she deserves a place in Heaven is a mystery to her. She smiled. At least she's going to Heaven.

SHWOOSH!

Her eyes shot open as a pair of hands enveloped her petite figure from behind and took her to the surface.

The moment her face was out of water, she felt relieved as air rushed into her lungs. She continued to gasp for air as her knight-in-whatever-armor untied her.

"Clark!"

She turned around to greet her savior once he had untied her.

"Guess again, Sidekick."

Chloe was somehow disappointed to see the smiling face of Arthur Curry looking back at her. Nevertheless, she hugged him and thanked him; from the bottom of her heart none less.

AC got her to the dock and pushed her up. A hand was offered to her and she saw Bart, in all his pride, smirking at him.

"What up, Chloelicious?"

He greeted her as she took his hand. AC was out of the water in a matter of seconds.

"What are you doing here?" She asked them.

"No, Chloe. The right question would be what are _you_ doing here?"

_Oh, shit!_

Chloe cursed when she heard the familiar voice distorter behind her. She turned on her heels and found herself facing a very angry Oliver Queen, in his almighty Green Arrow outfit.

"I heard a deal was going to take place and came to see if it was worth my time." Came Chloe's answer and Oliver shook his head.

"Chloe, it was worth your life. Don't you know that after all this time? Lex is a dangerous man who won't hesitate to kill you of all people." Oliver continued.

"I know, I know. And I am truly sorry for risking my life."

Chloe apologized in an amused tone. Before Oliver had the chance to reply, Victor appeared.

"Sorry, Chlo. They got the car, the documents, the laptop, everything."

Chloe sighed audibly. She is so going to kill Lex Luthor.

"Well, we better get going now before back-ups arrive."

AC suggested and Oliver nodded in agreement. The five figures headed for outside before a series of footsteps, coming directly towards them, stopped them.

Soon, Lex Luthor arrived, with his henchmen of course.

"Green Arrow." He acknowledged his enemies' presence.

"Luthor." Oliver replied in his Green Arrow's tone.

"Miss Sullivan is staying. Go find your own bimbo, Arrow."

_Excuse me? Did the son of a bitch just call her a bimbo?_

"I'm afraid I can't do that, Luthor. You see, Chloe here thinks she's better off with us than with you. So, whether you like it or not, she's coming with us."

Lex Luthor winced.

He had no idea that Chloe is on a first name basis with Green Arrow. He wondered how much she knows about him. Is he merely an acquaintance of hers or does she know him as much as she knows Clark?

_Interesting. The girl knows everyone's secret._

"Look Luthor, we're tired and your men, well, we just kicked their asses, don't we. So, why don't you just let us walk away for the night, after all, you do realize that you and your goons have no chance to win over us." AC spoke.

Lex knew he was right. His men were tired and the four members of the Justice League were all there. And as for Chloe, well, let's just say his offer is still open and with the hesitated look Chloe gave him, he would say he had nothing to lose.

And so he stepped aside. His men looked at him, confused. Nevertheless, they followed his move.

As for the League, they exchanged looks before Oliver finally led them out.

Just before they stepped out of the warehouse, Lex spoke.

"Miss Sullivan, I hope you'll reconsider my offer."

And Chloe fidgeted as Oliver gave her the 'What offer?!' look.

_Damn you, Luthor._

Lex's mouth quirked into a smile as the five figures disappeared into the darkness of the night.

"Sir?"

"Yes, Matt?" He turned to face his head of security.

"Why are we letting them go?"

_Ah, that's the million dollar question, now, isn't it?_

"Let's just say that it's not the time to kill superheroes, yet."

And when that time comes, he shall have no mercy upon them. He is, after all, Lex Luthor, man of his words.

**P/S:** Read the title, guys! Chapter 2 and Chapter 3 happened three months before the events in Chapter 1.


	4. Four

**Disclaimer:** Yeah, Smallville's not mine. If it was, Lana Lang would be a disease and Lois Lane would be a better reporter. And Chloe would have dumped Clark for Lex.

**Author's Note:** Aww… I'm so touched with all the wonderful reviews. But allow me to explain myself.

I do NOT hate Lois Lane. Well, at least not Lois Lane from Superman version. But Lois Lane from Smallville version is just plain irritating and snobbish. I was very disappointed with this Lois. CW screenwriters practically destroyed her.

And I made a mistake in the first chapter. Chloe attended a press conference at LUTHORCorp, not LEXCorp.

**Four: Beauty And The Beast**

There's nothing more dangerous than a woman's wrath.

And the woman sitting comfortably across him proved that.

If yesterday, someone had told him that today he would be sitting with Chloe Sullivan, the woman whom he labeled as a threat to his vision (although he hate to admit it), in his study, drinking coffee and discussing about their partnership… He would have slapped that person.

And yet today, here they were. Twenty minutes ago, she barged into his study, in the middle of the night none less, and asked if his three months old offer still stands.

He did not answer. Instead, he had them settled down and even asked his butler to bring in a mug of coffee for her. And he poured himself a glass of scotch.

But she knew his answer and he knew that she knew.

For Chloe Sullivan, the offer always stands.

But there's one thing that lingered in Lex's mind.

What happened? What changed her mind? What could be so bad that Chloe Sullivan, the woman whose loyalty is hard to gain and hard to lose, decided to come to him?

Somehow, he bet his billion dollar assets that somehow it had something to do with the farmboy.

And Lex Luthor snorted.

"Go on, _ask me_." She told him.

"Excuse me?"

"I know you want to ask it. Just ask."

Lex frowned. He hated the fact that she, of all people, could understand what is going on in his head.

"Okay, Sullivan… _Why_?"

And she smiled. And Lex frowned harder, if he could frown any harder than he already did.

"I saw Smallville's Favorite Pink Princess getting back with Smallville Favorite Farm Boy."

CRACK!

A sound of glass being broken echoed in the room.

Chloe stood instinctively.

The glass of scotch Lex held in his hand was broken in his grasp. As he unfolded his hand, pieces of glasses fell onto the floor, blood all over it.

And there was more blood flowing out of the various cuts in his hand.

Chloe's eyes glanced from his hand to his face.

Expressionless as always. His eyes were empty and his gaze was cold.

"Lex?" She tried not to stutter but she knew she failed miserably.

Lex stood up and head over to the bar. He wiped his bleeding hand with a towel placed on the bar.

After a while he turned to her.

"You will help me without hesitation. You will tell me everything I want to know. You will do as I say, as I told you to. You will accept my words without any questions asked. You will receive orders from me only. You will not keep any secrets from me. And you will be loyal to me. Clear?"

"Crystal clear. But…"

If he was the eye-rolling type, he would have rolled his eyes at her.

"Oh come on, Lex. You can't expect me to give _everything _without receiving _anything_."

He paused for a while as he continued to stare at her.

If looks could kill, Chloe swore she would have been dead by now.

"Alright, Sullivan, what do you want?"

"Everything that I know before this day, before this moment… All the secrets, all that I know about Clark Kent and the Justice League before this moment…"

Chloe paused.

"Will not be revealed to you."

Another pause. She expected him to yell, to push her against the wall and demanded for answers. But he did not.

"But everything that I found out after this moment will, of course, be acknowledged to you."

Lex did not agree, at first. But he knew this would be the only way he could have her with him. And he really needs someone as 'talented' as her right now.

And thus, he nodded in approval.

"Is that a yes?"

"Yes." He answered.

"Anything else?" He continued.

Chloe paused to think.

"I want the Talon." Came her answer after a while.

Lex raised an eyebrow. He had sold the Talon a few years back. Why would she want it now?

"I want it reopened." She continued.

"_Why_?"

She wanted to slap him at that particular moment.

_What is it with Lex Luthor and his need to know everything that revolves around him?_

She sighed but nevertheless, answered him.

"I don't know. Maybe because Lana used to own it."

Lex smirked. "And you thought you would make a statement to Lana by having what was hers?"

Chloe frowned.

"Okay, Sullivan. Consider it done. The Talon will be reopened first thing in the morning under your name."

Chloe smiled with satisfaction.

"I also want to be involved in every plan of yours. _All_ of it."

Lex understood what she meant. She wants to be a part of his dealings, legal and illegal.

Lana had asked the same from him. And he gave her everything. He made her a part of his world, even his ugly world.

And when it ot uglier, she backed out. She thought he was inhuman. A beast.

Lex agreed. He was a Beast. He would do anything to learn the truth, and to reveal it to the world. He would die before he let an alien tyrant, named Clark Kent, took over the world.

And Lana Lang was his Beauty. All she needed to do was stay and maybe turned this Beast into a Prince with her love.

He might not be the best Prince but he could have given her his love. He even planned to have a happy family with her.

But no. She just had to betray him.

She founded the Isis Foundation, a vain attempt to oppose him. She got Chloe Sullivan, whom he knew was the best person in the world for that position, to manage it. And today, she went back to Clark Kent.

"I am not Lana Lang, Mr Luthor. I will not back out when things get ugly. I'm not going anywhere."

Chloe took his silence as doubt, doubt towards her loyalty. Lana betrayed him and it would be difficult for him to let someone else in his ugly world.

"Alright, Sullivan. But I must warn you, if you betray me, I will kill you, in a way that makes electric chair a child-play."

His voice was threatening. But Chloe had nothing to be afraid of. That's because betraying Lex Luthor was not a part of her plan.

Her plan was to destroy Lana '_Bitch_' Lang and along the way, helped Lex Luthor destroy Clark '_Heartbreaker_' Kent.

Chloe Sullivan was going to show the world she was not just another girl next door. This good girl had gone bad.

--

**A/N: **Regarding the title…Yeah, the 'Beauty' refers to Lana, not Chloe. Sorry. But don't worry, I still hate her.


	5. Five

**Disclaimer:** Smallville's not mine. After all, you can't have all you want.

**Author's Note: **Sorry for the very late update. I've been very busy with school. Thought I should update before my exam starts next week. And I just hit a writer's block. I know how I want it to go on. But I had very little idea how to put the pieces together. I can't promise a quick update but I can promise to do my best.

**Five: Happy Birthday, Chloe**

_To Allison Mack…_

_Happy Birthday and thank you for being a true Chloe Sullivan all these years…_

The world is unjust. The world is an ugly place. And the saddest thing about this world we live in is that only the money and power can get you somewhere.

And that is exactly why Chloe Sullivan went to Lex Luthor. He is her only way to get even with the world.

She is tired of being the loyal sidekick. She is tired of being second to everyone else who always seem to be more beautiful than she is.

Second to Lana Lang in terms of love.

Lana Lang do not deserve Clark Kent. She betrayed a lot of people and yet she got all the love she wants.

Second to Lois Lane in terms of career.

And Lois can't even spell 'Metropolis' correctly. The only reason she got the job as a senior reporter is because she is sleeping with the assistant editor.

Lex Luthor can change that, no doubt. He got the money and the power.

And now, Chloe is on his side. Indirectly, she got the money and the power… Somehow.

--

Chloe just got out of the copy room and was going back to her crappy desk when she saw some of the Daily Planet's security guards carried the rostrum and PA system out in a hurry.

Then, her colleagues rushed out of the basement. She immediately placed the papers in her hand on her desk and hurried outside as well.

There was a crowd outside. There were reporters from other media. Cameras flashed. Reporters from all over the world were going live from where they were standing.

Obviously, a press conference was taking place.

"To the side, please!"

Chloe was pushed aside by a security guard. She looked behind her and saw that security was clearing a pathway.

_For who?_ She had very little idea.

Chloe decided that she could be more useful behind her desk in the basement than standing by the sideline. And so, she turned to head back to her crappy desk.

But a strong hand grabbed her arm and she spun around to face the owner of the hand. She recognized it as Matt Long, Lex's head of security. Lex introduced them less than a week ago.

"Mr. Luthor asked for your presence."

Before Chloe could sound any protest, she was dragged along the cleared pathway, towards the stand.

In a blink of an eye, she found herself standing next to a smiling Lex Luthor.

And cameras continued to flash, in her face. She winced.

"Smile, Chloe. You're going live all over the world right now."

And Chloe smiled without any protest, without any hesitation. Suddenly, Lex walked to the stand and Chloe stood faithfully next to him.

"I would like to thank everyone for their presence today even though you were acknowledged of this conference in a very short notice."

"As you all might heard before, LuthorCorp has intended to stretch its wings to other fields. And thus, after a week of discussion with the Daily Planet representatives, it is indeed my honor to announce that today, the Daily Planet is officially a part of LuthorCorp."

Chloe's jaws dropped. Lex had bought Daily Planet.

_Why?_

"And since I have no expertise in the media industry, I have decided to appoint a representative to manage the Daily Planet. Someone who has not only expertise in this field, but also passion…"

_Oh. Fuck._

"Miss Chloe Sullivan."

And the cameras flashed furiously. Chloe did nothing but smiled and waved.

--

"You bought the Daily Planet?!"

Chloe's voice echoed in her new office, which by the way is very appealing to say the very least, after the brief meeting she had with the DP's new board of directors.

"Yes. A gift for you. Do you like it?" Lex smiled and drank his scotch, which he had poured himself at the bar.

Yes, her new extra-large office had a bar.

"You are insane."

"I've been called worse."

"Lex…" She said in frustration and sank herself in the comfort of a couch in her office.

Yes, her new extra-large office had two, not one, very large, comfortable couches.

"I think it's better than reopening the Talon."

True to his words, Lex had bought her the Talon and reopened it.

She still remembered Lana's flushing red face when she passed the Talon and saw Lex and Chloe going over the management of the Talon with someone Lex had hired to take care of it.

As for Lex, he couldn't help but feel slightly angry when he saw Clark Kent going after a very angry Lana. He shook his head to erase the memory and drank another glass of scotch.

"LuthorCorp needs the media to support us. Tell me, Chloe, considering that the Daily Planet is the most influential newspaper in the world, isn't it the best supporter for LuthorCorp?"

Chloe couldn't agree less. LuthorCorp really needs good coverage and everyone on this planet reads the Daily Planet. It would be excellent for their image.

"Why me?"

Lex paused and stared at her.

"I told you. It is a gift."

"Oh, before I forget. Happy Birthday, Chloe." And he finished the scotch before leaving the room.

"How did…"

Chloe let out a desperate growl. If she was seven, she would have stomped her feet.

--

Clark Kent was on his way to Metropolis to meet his best friend when he heard the news.

"Lex Luthor, heir to the Luthor fortune and the new CEO of Luthorcorp, had just announced that he had bought the Daily Planet."

Clark pulled the brake hastily and his red truck nearly skidded off the road. His first thought was of Chloe Sullivan, his loyal best friend. He figured she must be devastated.

Chloe hated Lex to the very core. And now, she has to work under him. Clark shook his head.

_This is my entire fault._ He thought.

All Lex ever wanted was him, Clark Kent; boy extraordinaire, Smallville's favorite farm boy, and Clark knew that Lex knew he is also an extra-terrestrial.

"He also announced that LuthorCorp will be appointing a representative from the Daily Planet staff member to supervise the management of the Daily Planet. The female reporter in her early twenties, Chloe Sullivan, accepted her new post with a joyous look this morning."

_Or maybe, she is not that devastated._

Clark immediately stepped on the pedal. He needed explanation. Two weeks ago, Lex Luthor reopened the Talon under Chloe Sullivan's name.

And poor Lana had cried herself to sleep. He understood her situation. She loved the place more than anything else. It was her home, it was everything she had.

Today, Lex bought the Daily Planet and put Chloe in charge. Something was wrong, very wrong. He hates to think about it. But all of these could mean two things.

Lex Luthor is manipulating Chloe to get to him.

Or she is on his side now.

…_No, not Chloe. She could never betray me..._

The farmboy frowned harder as thoughts after thoughts came rushing through his mind.

--

Chloe made her way to her office. She just came back from lunch and was returning to her new job.

Everything was so confusing for her but she was happy. She likes her new job, despite the numerous rumours going on.

Oh, she wished she had taken a picture when Lois found out that she is in charge now.

_I love Lois, but there are times when I… Seen 'Mr & Mrs Smith'? Of course you do. Now replay the scene where Brad mocked Angelina in front of the marriage counselor. That is exactly how I feel._

And Jimmy… the poor guy literally tripped when he saw her before she went out for lunch.

_Still feeling guilty over the whole Kara thing… Being good could be tiring at times. I wonder how Jimmy keep up with it._ She chuckled at her own thought.

She liked her new business at the Talon. She had always liked the place. She practically grew up there.

_Of course, there was also that particular scene of an angry-looking Lana leaving the place furiously that I could always replay in my mind._

_Ding!_ Chloe stepped out of the elevator. She couldn't help but entertain the thoughts of being in this position.

"Miss Sullivan?" Jenny, her new secretary immediately walked up to her, blocking her from the door to her own office.

"Jenny, I need to get in there."

"Miss, you have to know that I had told him that you were not around. And that you do not appreciate to see someone who has no appointment to be in your room when you came back. But, Miss, he was so insistent and there was nothing I could do."

Somewhere along the way of working as a secretary, Chloe figured that Jenny must have mastered the art of explaining the situation in one breath when she is nervous. But her thoughts were currently focused on her uninvited guest.

_Clark. _She thought and she smiled, satisfied. Oh, yeah, she was expecting him. She even prepared a script for him. And she was not ashamed to admit that she had briefly gone over the script in the bathroom before leaving the restaurant a while ago.

"It's okay, Jenny. Just make sure no one comes in while he's inside."

She would not want to know how Lex would react if he knew she is still seeing to Clark. Chloe entered her office, her mind going over the speech she had written the day she joined forces with Lex.

"Clark, I figured you'll come, sooner or later." She greeted and closed her door.

But when she turned, she felt slightly disappointed.

_Of course, why would he be here? Miss Lana "The Perfect Gal' Lang has him wrapped around her bony fingers._

Nevertheless, she managed a smile. After all, she has a handsome billionaire slash superhero standing in front of her, with his heart-melting smirk on his face.

"Oliver."

"With the number of times you've been mistaking me for Clark, I think I should consider changing my name to Clark Queen." He joked, but there was a hurt tone as well.

Chloe dismissed the tone and replied, "Maybe next time, you'll make an appointment before you came."

"Besides, Clark does not rhymes with Queen." She added in her very own Chloe-ish manner.

She sat in her own chair and waved for Oliver to have a seat as well.

"Now, now… Do I really need to make an appointment to see a friend? The last time I met you, the only thing I needed was Clark's permission." He let out an amused chuckle.

"But of course, the last time we met, you were not LuthorCorp's representative at the Daily Planet." He continued when she only glared at him for his statement,

Chloe did not reply. She knew where this was going. And she won't let it. She would let him talk, and then she would tell him to leave her alone as well as showed him his way out.

"Tell me, Chloe. How did a small time reporter who dedicated her life to destroy Lex Luthor ended up working for Lex Luthor?"

Chloe smiled. Of course, Oliver of all people would know something was going on.

"Mr. Queen…"

"Since when did we go back to a surname basis?"

Chloe took a deep breath. She adored Oliver and had respect for him. But if she wanted to go on with her plan, she needed to get him out of the way.

"_Mr. Queen_, please. The last time I checked, we had no relationship what-so-ever. We only had mutual friends. "Had', Mr. Queen.

Next, I don't think I require your permission on how to live my life. So, Mr. Queen, before I lose the very limited amount of respect I had left for you, you better leave. And I suggest that for your own good, to never return."

Oliver Queen smiled charmingly as he stood up. Straightening his suit, he stared into her green eyes, trying to explore every little secret she kept within her.

_What are you hiding behind those eyes, Chloe? Why won't you tell me as you would tell Clark?_

His gaze stayed on her for a while, taking in every beautiful features of her that amazed him so much, before he turned around.

"I won't let anyone hurt you, Chloe. Don't worry; I'll take care of you." He threw over his shoulder before he went out.

Chloe was stunned. _Oh, no. What the hell is he going to do now? _

She had very little idea of what to do. She would have expected for 'this' to come from Lois, Clark, Jimmy, Lana, Mrs Kent, or Pete maybe. But not from Oliver Queen.

She returned to her job, typing as if there was no tomorrow. It was not long before she saw the small green box on her desk.

She raised an eyebrow and stared at it. After a while, she took it and read the writings on it.

"Happy Birthday, Sidekick."

She closed her eyes, confused. When she opened her eyes, she had determination in her eyes. She let out a sigh and with that, threw the box into her wastebasket.

A few minutes later, she ran over to her wastebasket and searched for the box frantically. When she opened it, her jaws dropped open to find a Dresden green diamond necklace in it.

_Green, Oliver? Seriously?_ She mused as she put them on.

After all, he practically gave it to her.

--

**A/N:** I haven't check for grammar mistakes. So, please ignore those first. Hope you guys like what you read.

About the whole birthday thing… I edited the story in the last week of July. That was around the time Allison Mack celebrated her birthday. And I was celebrating mine as well. So, I thought, why not… Sue me if you're not happy about it.

Thanks for the wonderful reviews, people! Cheers.


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